Improvement in ballot-boxes



2'Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. POWELL.

Ballot-Box. No. 213,133 Patented Mar. 11,1879.

7ylTNEssEs 'NVENTOR 7 LJ James Pan/ell ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. POWELL. Ba11ot-B0x. No. 213,133 Patented Mar. 11,1879.

WITNESSES INVENTOR James Powell ATTORNEY N.PETERS. PHOTO-UTHDGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. n C.

UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES POlVELL, OF CHICAGO, TLLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN BALLOT-BOXES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N0. 213,133, dated March 11, 1879; application filed May 25, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES PownLL, of Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illiof the top of the case or chamber in which the operative mechanism. is now placed removed or broken away to show the interior arrangement of a portion of the mechanism, and particularly the stop. Fig. 2 is a plan view ofthc under side of the cover of the box. 3 is a detail to show more plainly the relative position of the stop and the operative parts of the mechanism. Fig. l is also a detail to show the relative position of the lower end of the chute and the movable disk which operatesto cover it.

The design of the present invention is to produce an improvement in that class of devices that are especially adapted for accurate registry of deposits made in them, and are useful for voting purposes, to receive, indicate, and register the tickets cast, or in stores or restaurants, to receive, indicate, and enumerate the checks deposited in it, and for any and all like and analogous uses or purposes; and to this end it consists more particularly in the combination, construction, and arrangement of the several parts constituting the receptacle, the registry, and the alarm, all as will now be more fully set out and it also consists in such arrangement of stop for the operative mechanism that when once the interior parts are locked by means of said step they cannot be again moved until the box has been opened by the custodian of the key to the cover, and access is had to release the stop from its engagement upon said mechanism, substantially as will be explained.

In the accompanying drawings, A denotes the ballot-box, or check or ticket receiver, which may be made of any suitable shape and size, and of any desirable material to adaptit for the special uses had in view.

To and upon the lid or cover of said receiver is secured the operative mechanism. 1 have now illustrated this mechanism as covered by means of a case or chamber, A, secured to the top or outside by means of posts a, which are fixed securely in the edges of said chamber, and passing down through said cover, where the end of each is caught by means of a springcatch, b, which engages in a slotor recess, a, cut in the end of each of said posts.

This method of construction is very advantageous in use, and permits the several parts to be quickly and firmly united or as easily separated.

To and upon the upper part of the top of the receivercover is secured the frame G, holding the registering-wheels D, which may be of any number, and adapted to operate in any usual way. Journalcd upon said case or chamberis the lever E, adapted to be moved by means of the thumb-piece on the end of its arm 0. When this lever is moved down byits arm it carries with itthe pendant or pawl c, which is pivoted at its upper end to the lever. This downward motion causes the lower end of this pawl to- -engage upon the teeth of the ratchet-wheel F. Upon the opposite side of said wheel the spur g ot'the arm Gr engages. The said arm being pivoted at its outer end to the under side or the box or in any suitable seat, as at y, will take its horizontal motion from the impetus communicated to it through the operation of the ratchet-wheel upon the spur g. This motion carrying the said arm horizontally round under the cover takes the disk H with it and serves to open the ticket, check, or ballot chute I, and thus deposit its contents in the receiver-chamber below.

A spring, 0, under the lever, and pressing upon the same, serves to return it to its original position when the force is removed from the arm 0. In like manner the retractingspring 9', which is connected at one end to the arm G, will serve to restore it to its original position at the same time, and places disk ll under the ballot-chute, closing the same.

To the arm Gris attached the hammer G, which, so often as the disk H is returned to place, strikes upon the bell K and signals the fact.

T0 render the operation of the disk in these returning motions the least noisy and harmful I have provided a cushion, h, of any suitable material, upon one edge of the chute. The flan go It will serve as a guide for the disk H in its movements, and will, to some extent,

also act as an additional support to the disk if occasion should require any such.

As thus constructed, the machine or apparatus is now ready for its legitimate uses; but if it should be desired to lock the parts so that the chute could not be opened or the mechanism moved,I have provided the stop L, which is suitably pivoted to a support or standard in the cover of the receiver. When the apparatus is in use the said stop is held apart from the mechanism by means of the bolt or screw 1, which passes through the wall of the chamber A and engages in or upon said stop; but when said screw or bolt is released, the spring I, in the under side of the cover, acting upon the lower end of the said stop, serves to throw the opposite or upper end of the stop under the lever E and prevent any motion of the same. The stop may have a shoulder at the end for this purpose, and likewise there may be a suitable seat in the under side of the lever at the place into which the head or shoulder of the stop may rest. When the mechanism has been so locked fast the said stop cannot be released from its engagement under said lever except by opening the lid of the receiver and getting direct access to the spring Z and lower end of the stop L, and thus remove the said stop from its engagement, and turning it away secure it in its former place by means of the bolt or screw 1, as aforesaid.

As thus made there is presented a most compact, strong, and cheap device. The several parts are so arranged as to be most effective in operation and least liable to get out of order.

In'operation, there can be no stufling with surreptitious or illegal votes or checks, because the swinging disk is too firmly held in its normal position to allow any votes or checks to be crowded down past it. Also, the swinging disk is operated by the ratchet-wheel, as

well as by its connected spring, as aforesaid,

to return immediately to cover the opening of the chute.

In the case or wall of the chamber above the mechanism a glass, a, maybe placed, so that the registering-wheels can be easily seen. Also, a glass, a", may be arranged adjacent to the chute to show the receipt of the ticket, check, or ballot as it falls upon the disk or plate H.

If desired, such a glass can be placed on both sides of thischamber or case, so that the operator of the mechanism, as well as the depositor, may make observations.

'1 am aware that heretofore in devices of this general character registers have been I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let,

ters Patent, is-

1. Inthe ballot-box A, the combination of the pivoted stop L, bolt l,.and spring l with the lever E, pawl e, and wheel F, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, in aballot-box, of lever E,pivoted pawl 0', wheels F, spur g, and arm' G with disk H, bell K, and registers D, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I do claim the foregoing as my own I do. afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, JAMES POWELL.

Witnesses T Gno. WOODLAND, WALTER G. BENTLEY. 

